New Southbound Policy Portal

New Taipei Mayor Eric Chu (right) and Alex Yung, corporate vice president of Amazon Web Services, hold up a placard showing a signed agreement between the city government and AWS on jointly establishing an internet innovation center Jan. 11 in the northern Taiwan metropolis. (Courtesy of NTCG)

New Taipei City Government and Amazon Web Services, a cloud computing subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc., signed Jan. 11 a memorandum of understanding to jointly establish an internet innovation center in the northern Taiwan metropolis.

Slated to open in March, the facility will work to foster the adoption of cloud computing services and other emerging technologies among startups and small and medium enterprises; cultivate cloud computing talent; foster venture capital investment in Taiwan firms; and integrate the nation’s industrial advantages.

The center will be located at Taipei Far Eastern Telecom Park in the city’s Banqiao District and be operated by FCC Partners, a financial advisory firm headquartered in Taipei City. Under the agreement, AWS will offer technical expertise in fields spanning big data, cloud computing and Internet of Things.

According to the city government’s Economic Development Department, the initiative will help companies in various sectors boost innovation and industrial upgrading, reduce costs and increase business agility. The facility will also work to strengthen the entrepreneurial environment by connecting local startups and SMEs with overseas counterparts and business incubators, the department said.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, New Taipei Mayor Eric Chu said this investment in human capital will enhance Taiwan’s international competitiveness. The accord also highlights the success of efforts to attract investment and encourage companies to set up offices through building a business-friendly ecosystem, he added.

Noting that numerous well-known international enterprises are based in New Taipei, AWS Corporate Vice President Alex Yung described the city as a vibrant business location with a supportive community for startups and SMEs. “We are honored to contribute to the cloud computing industry in New Taipei City with the new joint innovation center,” he said. (KWS-E)